Kramcsak



Feb. 21, 1956 M. KRAMCSAK, JR

CASTER GLIDE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1950 Feb. 21, 1956 M,KRAMCSAK, JR 2,735,131

CASTER GLIDE Filed Dec. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 vuemhvo 92M, @uwkw B4% United States Patent CASTER GLIDE Michael Kramcsak, Jr., Bridgeport,Conn., assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporationof Connecticut Application December 20, 1950, Serial No. 201,776 15Claims. (Cl. 16-42) This invention relates to caster glides, and moreparticularly to those applicable to tubular metal furniture legs.

One of the objects is to provide an improved caster glide which is veryreadily applicable to an openended tubular leg, and which, afterinstallation, will be securely held in place.

Another object is to provide an improved glide of the type in which thearticle is held in the leg by a fastener in the nature of an umbrellaengaging the inner surface of the leg.

Another object is to provide an improved glide of the kind in which acup-like metallic base holding an interior cushioning element isemployed.

A further object is to provide a glide having facility of removal underthe proper conditions, for purposes of replacement, of the base portionof the glide, this removal being independent of the fastening structurewhich retains the upper part of the glide within the furniture leg.

Another object is to provide a glide having a number of importantpractical advantages, as will be hereinafter pointed out and as will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a glide embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the position of the furnitureleg in the completed assembly being indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view like Fig. 2, showing the structure as itappears when the base is removed from the upper fastening structure;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views showing modified forms;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a further modification;

Fig. 5 is a view showing a lock washer in plan and in elevation; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views showing further modifications.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 2 the glide comprises a cup-likemetallic base within which is inserted a rubber cushioning member,through which cushioning member extends upwardly a screw extending atits upper end through a metallic spacer member, generally of dome shape,adapted to lie within the lower end of the furniture leg and havingassociated therewith adjacent the upper extremity a fastener or retainerwhich is generally in the form of a shallow umbrella. In a general waythe structure has some similarity to that disclosed in my applicationSerial No. 92,053, filed May 7, 1949, now Patent No. 2,641,016, datedJune 9, 1953, and, so far as the umbrella-like fastener is concerned,the said fastener may be of the kind disclosed in that application.

In the drawings, the cup-shaped metallic base memher is indicated at 10.The cushioning member of rubber or the like, which is carried withinsaid first member, is in- 2,735,131 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 ICC dicatedat 11, the dome-like metallic spacer member is indicated at 12, and theumbrella-type fastener having a peripheral portion which digs into theinner surface of the furniture leg for anchoring purposes, is indicatedat 13. In this embodiment the screw 14 has a threaded upper end portionwhich engages a nut 15 fixed within the dome-like member 12, which inthis case is a hollow cupped member of sheet metal.

The metallic part 10 of the base structure has an upwardly and inwardlycurled rim portion 16 that extends into a peripheral groove 17 in thecushion 11 in such a manner as to interlock the two members, there beinga substantial portion of the cushioning member above the level of themetal cup, the upper portion of the cushion being of a diameter suchthat it extends under the lower edge of the furniture leg, as shown inFig. 2. Interposed between the upper surface of the cushion and thelower edge of the furniture leg is a lateral flange 18 that is integralwith the hollow dome member 12 at the lower end of said member. Adjacentits middle part the upper surface of the rubber cushion engages thelower surface of the nut 15, this nut in this particular form being acylindrical member that is bored out and tapped to receive the screw 14.The diameter of the nut 15 is such that throughout the greater portionof its length the lateral face is spaced inwardly from the side wall ofthe dome member 12, but the nut is provided adjacent its upper end witha groove 19, in which is received the upper perforated end portion ofthe dome member 12 and the inner perforated portion of the fastener orretainer 13. Above the groove 19 the nut has an extremity 20 of reduceddiameter which is bent or clinched over in order to fasten the members12 and 13 securely Within their retaining groove.

It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the umbrella 13 is a relativelyshallow member formed on an arc of greater radius than the upper part ofthe dome or shell 12, the result being that, while the members 12 and 13are in contact with each other within the groove 19, the member 13diverges from the member 12 in an outward direction. In this way theumbrella is firmly supported adjacent its middle portion, but is free toincrease or decrease in di ameter. When the glide structure illustratedin full lines in Fig. 2 is inserted into the end of the furniture leg,the umbrella has its diameter decreased by the inserting pressure, andthe projections at the edge of the umbrella bite into the furniture legto hold the glide firmly in place.

In the particular case shown, the threaded portion of the bore in thenut 15 extends upwardly only to about the level of the groove 19, andthat portion of the nut which holds the members 12 and 13 in place islocated above the threaded portion of the nut, but there may bevariation in this and other respects.

In this particular form also the upper surface of the cushion member 11at them iddle portion is somewhat raised so as to provide a slightlyupstanding seat 21 on which the nut rests. Surrounding this seat is adownwardly and outwardly inclined surface 22 on the cushion member,leading to an annular 'seat portion 23 which receives the flange or foot18 of member 12. By this arrangement there is effective centering of thecushion member with respect to the member 12 when the parts are beingassembled, inasmuch as the upstanding part of the cushion, with itssloped or beveled side surface, provides a centering element for themember 12.

It will be observed that the screw 14 is provided at the lower end withan integral head 24 which is round, and in this instance rather shallow,said head being received in a round recess 25 provided in the cushionmemher at the lower face of the later. The recess 25 is of substantiallygreater depth than the screw head 24, and

inthe assembled position shown in Fig. Zthe head will be in the upperpart of the recess and out of contact with the cup whereby the screw 14will be held out of vibration transmitting contact with member 10. Belowthe threaded part the shank of 'the screw 14 isleftplain, and this partis disposed in a hole or boreleading upwardly from the recess of thecushionmember, and the :screw is fixed relatively to the cushion memberin the position shown in Fig. 2 in a suitable manner, as'by being moldedinto the cushion member.

In the assembly, the article is made up into two separate parts, onecomprising the members 10, 11 and 14, and the other comprising the domeor shell 12,. the fastener 13, and the nut 15. These two parts are theninterconnected by screwing the screw of the first part into the nut ofthe second part. This is a step which can be readily performed by theuse of appropriate tools through which usually one part is rotated whilethe other is held stationary. If, for example, the part carrying the nutis held stationary, the base part can be rotated through the use of asuitable tool which grips it without in any way marring the surface.Being effectively gripped and then rotated, the base part of theassembly is screwed into the upper part to such extent that a firm andtight connection is made. of course, strongly and rigidly held in thebase part'in which it is molded.

The upper part of the assembly, comprising the nut and the members 12,13, provides a socket member having means for locking it securely inposition within the tubular leg or other member. When this part and thebase part are interconnected in the manner just described, a unit isprovided which can be readily assembled with the tubular member by adriving action which will cause the upper fastening means to beeliectively locked in the tubular member. When mounted in a tubularmember such as a furniture leg, the assembly willbe efiectivelymaintained even under hard usage. 0n the other'hand, shouldthe lower orbase part of the glide require replacement, this can be done by using asuitable toolthat is applied to the member to unscrew it. The socketmember will be effectively held in position in the tubular member whilethis operation takes place, and when the. lowerpartof the article isremoved the lower end of the tubular member will be in the conditionshown in Fig. 2 In this condition the tubular members canhaveareplacement base unit applied to it, and it is obvious that there. is adefinite advantage in being able to replace a part of the glide ratherthan the whole of it.

When articles of this general class are'used in school rooms and otherinstitutional buildings, considerable difficulty and damage is broughtabout by unauthorized removal of the glides. This causes the furniturelegs to damage the floors, and the repairing of the equipment causesloss and inconvenience. The hereindescribed structure overcomes thisdrawback'becauseofthe fact that the two units of the glide, being verystrongly interconnected, the base portion cannot be unscrewed from thesocket portion by persons like schoolchildren who are notprovided withthe necessary tools. Neither is it obvious from the appearance of thefurniture in what manner the glide can be removed, ie., by unscrewing.Moreover, as above noted, there is substantial economy in the useofthearticle becauseof the-fact that 'the base part, which is the part mostlikely to be damaged-, can be replaced. as a subassembly.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the structure is. as: above describedexcept that an additional feature is. embodied,- namely, a dependingflange 26 integral with the'dome member or shell portionof the socketmember. This flange 26 provides. a cupped portion-onthe-domememq ber.receivingthe upper Part of the r bbeLcushion-and engaging theside-surface'ofthelatter. 'lTheflangge 2,6 nqtnnli' pro ide cent ringotthe shellor domememr. her with respect'to the cushion but takes upsidethrust In this operation the screw 14 is,

4. occasioned when the article isin use. It also gives, an attractiveappearance to the lower end of the furniture leg, besides giving someadditional resilience in the use of the glide.

The form shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 except forthe conformation given to the nut 27 and the upper part of the cushionmember 28. In this case the cushion member has an upper surface lying ina single plane. The nut 27 is of greater diameter near the lower end,being provided with an integral laterally extending round base portion29. This portion 29-extends laterally so that it is quite close to thelower wall portion of the shell or dome member. Inthisstructure thelower part of the nut is well centered and is substantially supportedupon the cushion member.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, the upper surface of the cushion member 3%)lies in a single plane, and a separate metal-washer 31 has a perforation32 through which the screw passes with a certain amount of clearance.The washer 31 is of such a diameter that its edge is in close proximityto the lower part-of the shell or dome member. The nut 33 is shorterthan in the forms previously described, and between the nut and thewasher 31 a lock washer 34 is interposed.

It will be understood that, in creating the screw connection between theupperandlower units of the article,

the rubber cushion member, which has a certain amount of resiliency, iscompressed to an extent between the lowermetallic part thatengages thefloor and'theupper metallic part that engages the cushionmember. It willbe apparent also that this compression of the rubber, which takes placein all of the forms describedup tothis point, provides a thrust or lockaction inhibiting the loosening of the screw. The two parts of thestructure being screwed together with the use of tools, it is especiallydifficult under these conditions to loosen the base without the use oftools, and it is, in fact, impossible. In the form of Fig. 5, however,an additional locking action is provided by the lockwasher 34. This lockwasher can. be of any preferred form, but by way of examples; suitablestructure is shown in Fig. 5'-. Upon screwing the screw into the nut;.the resilient metal lock washer is compressed and'deformed; between thenut and the opposing surface so as to exert a thrust against the screwthat' inhibits rotation, and. in this case the thrust: is in additionto. that provided by: the compressive action on the resilient cushionmember.

Another difierence of the Fig. 5 form over thepreceding ones has; to dowith the structure at the upper end of the nut. In this case the upperendot the nut is; turned down-or reduced in diameter by a. metal-cuttingoperation so as to provide a neck 35 having an external cylindricalface: 36' engaged by the dome member and theumbrella member. The metalat the extremity of the nut is. then swaged or otherwise deformed tocreate a; laterally extending flange portion 37 that firmly clamps the"dome member and the umbrella member to the nut.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the dome member is of the form shown inFig. 2, likewise the umbrella member. The nut 38 is generally similar tothe nut 15, but is quite short so as to extend downwardly only a shortdistance from; the top of the dome. The nutis. engaged by a relativelyshort screw shank 39 that isintegralwith a relatively wide generallycylindrical post-like portion 40-rising' from the base of the glide. Inthis. instance the base of the glide is formed wholly of metal and of adepth approximating'that of the metal portions of the previouslydescribed glides. Here the metal base portion has acylindrical part 41below and, above which the surface isrounded, as shown at 42and 43,, andthe base. has-azfiat upper surface 4:4 on hichihedome member. rests.-The portion-4,0. has: amintegralilaterally extendingnound .foot portion.45. which extends, into; adjacency. to. the. dome member. so. as to a'ctasv a.-centering.means .althouglijt. is not in actual contact with thedome member in the assembled position. The base is integral with themember 40 and the latter integral with the screw shank 39. The member 40is of substantially the same diameter as the nut 38, and between theseparts is introduced a lock washer 34 of the kind previously described.Here, as will be apparent, the lock washer prevents turning of the baseby hand for the purpose of removal from the furniture, although it doesnot prevent turning of the base by the use of a suitable tool.

In the form now being described, the round base portion, constructedwholly of metal, having a smooth external surface that is preferablyhighly polished, cannot be gripped by the hand with sufiicient firmnessto accomplish the unscrewing of the base. This also holds good for theforms previously described, where the metal part of the base is roundand smooth and where the upwardly extending part of the rubber cushionalso has a smooth round external surface.

In the form shown in Fig. 7, the structure is the same as shown in Fig.5, with the exception that the upper end of the nut is of the structureshown in Fig. 2.

While in all of the cases shown the umbrella member is of the contourshown in Fig. 1, it is understood that this is by way of example only.

While several different forms of the article are disclosed, it is to beunderstood that the invention can be embodied in many other forms, andthat various changes may be made without departing from the principlesof the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A device such as described, comprising a dome-like spacer, a nutwithin the spacer fixed to the spacer, a retainer for fixing the spacerin a furniture leg attached to the spacer adjacent the upper end of thespacer, and a base glide having a fixed upstanding screw screwed up intothe nut.

2. A device such as described, comprising a dome-like spacer, a nutwithin the spacer fixed to the spacer, a retainer for fixing the spacerin a furniture leg attached to the spacer adjacent the upper end of thespacer, a base glide having a fixed upstanding screw adapted to bescrewed up into the nut, and means to inhibit unscrewing rotation of thescrew when the parts are in the assembled position.

3. In a device such as described, a socket member comprising adome-shaped member having at the foot portion a flange adapted tounderlie the furniture leg, a nut within said member attached to saidmember, a retainer member secured to the upper end portions of the nutand dome-shaped member, a glide base having a cupped metal part, acushion member received within said part and extending upwardlytherefrom and engaging the flange of said dome-shaped member, and ascrew fixed within the cushion member and having a threaded shankextending upwardly for engagement with said nut, said cushion memberhaving an upper face engageable with the lower face of the nut.

4. In a device such as described, the combination of a socket membercomprising a dome-shaped spacer, a nut fixed to the spacer, a retainerfixed to the upper portion of the nut, a glide base comprising a cuppedmetal part and an inserted upwardly extending cushion member and alsocomprising a screw in fixed relation to the cushion member having anupstanding threaded shank engageable with said nut, androtation-inhibiting means interposed between the upper part of thecushion member and the lower face of the nut.

5. In a caster glide, a base glide structure having provision forsupporting a hollow leg from the lower edge of the leg, a retainer inthe form of a shallow umbrella of resilient material having peripheralanchoring projections engageable with the inner surface of the leg, andmeans including a dome-like spacer member, a nut and a screw, forsupporting said retainer from said base structure, the screw being fixedto the base and the nut being screwed on the screw, said nut having aperipheral groove in which said spacer member and said retainer aresecured.

6. A caster glide comprising a retainer adapted to engage the innersurface of a tubular leg and in the form of a shallow inverted cup, aspacer element in fixed relation to said retainer presenting a domeimmediately below said retainer whose surface diverges from the undersurface of the retainer, a base for supporting the lower end of the leg,and means including an upstanding screw fixed to said base and a nutassociated with said spacer member and disposed interiorly of saidspacer member and screwed on said screw for removably securing said baseto the spacer member.

7. In a glide structure for use with open-ended hollow furniture legs, asocket member adapted to be located within the leg and securely fastenedtherein, comprising a resilient retainer adapted to be engaged with theinner surface of the leg and also comprising a hollow domeshaped spacermember in fixed relationship to said retainer, said spacer member beingprovided at the lower end with a flange or foot to underlie the loweredge of the leg, a smooth round floor-engaging base member adapted forplacement externally of the leg having provision at its periphery forsupporting the flange or foot of said spacer member, and means forconnecting said base member with said socket member removably so thatthe base member can be detached from the socket member to remove thebase member from the leg and leave the socket member with its spacermember and retainer in position within the leg, said connecting meansbeing disconnectible by tool manipulation only.

8. In a glide structure for use with open-ended hollow furniture legs, asocket member adapted to be located within the leg and securely fastenedtherein, comprising a resilient retainer adapted to be engaged with theinner surface of the leg and also comprising a hollow domeshaped spacermember in fixed relationship to said retainer, said spacer member beingprovided at the lower end with a flange or foot to underlie the loweredge of the leg, a smooth round floor-engaging base member adapted forplacement externally of the leg having provision at its periphery forsupporting the flange or foot of said spacer member, and means forconnecting said base member with said socket member removably so thatthe base member can be detached from the socket member to remove thebase member from the leg and leave the socket member in position withinthe leg, said connecting means comprising a nut in fixed relationship tothe socket member and a nutengaging screw in fixed relationship to thebase member.

9. In a glide structure for use with open-ended hollow furniture legs, asocket member adapted to be located within the leg and securely fastenedtherein, comprising a resilient retainer adapted to be engaged with theinner surface of the leg and also comprising a hollow domeshaped spacermember in fixed relationship to said retainer, said spacer member beingprovided at the lower end with a flange or foot to underlie the loweredge of the leg, a smooth round floor-engaging base member adapted forplacement externally of the leg having provision at its periphery forsupporting the flange or foot of said spacer member, and means forconnecting said base member with said socket member removably so' thatthe base member can be detached from the socket member to remove thebase member from the leg and leave the socket member in position withinthe leg, said connecting means comprising a nut in fixed relationship tothe socket member and a nut-engaging screw in fixed relationship to thebase member, said nut being located within said spacer member and beingfastened to the spacer member and to the retainer.

10. In a glide structure for use with hollow open-ended furniture legs,a socket structure adapted to be inserted into the lower end of the legand providing support for the lower edge of the hollow leg, comprising aresilient umbrella retainer adapted to engage the inner surface of theleg at the periphery of the retainer in a plane above the lower edge ofthe leg for securing the socket member in fixed position in the leg, andalso comprising a spacer having an upper end fixedly supporting saidretainer and having at the lower end a flange to underlie the lower edgeof the furniture leg, said socket member likewise comprising a nutwithin the spacer member in fixed relationship to the spacer member andto the retainer, and a base member adapted to underlie the lower edge ofthe furniture leg and having an upstanding screw, said screw beingengageable with said nut to fasten the base member to the socket memberand the leg and being disengageable from the nut so as to disengage thebase member while the socket member remains in position in the leg.

11. In a caster glide, a cupped round base, a cushion within andextending upwardly from said base, a fastener projecting upwardly fromsaid cushion, a hollow spacer of sheet metal having a lower flange orfoot supported on the upper peripheral part of said cushion andpresenting at the upper portion a gradually rounded dome, a shallowumbrella retainer supported at its highest part on said dome anddiverging from the dome surface, and a separate socket element forreceiving and holding said fastener located within said spacer and towhich the retainer and the spacer are rigidly secured.

12. For use with an open-ended tubular furniture leg, a socketed membercomprising a resilient retainer in the form of an umbrella for engagingthe inner surface of the leg upwardly from the leg bottom, a dome-shapedhollow spacer having a lower flange to engage and support the lower endof the leg, said retainer being fastened to the upper end portion ofsaid spacer, a sleeve-like nut internally of said spacer and fixedthereto, and a floor-engaging base member having a portion underlyingand supporting'said flange of said spacer and another portion below andsupporting said nut and also havingafixed upstandingscrew engaging saidnutso as to connect said base member removably to said=socketed member.

13. A combination as definedin claim 12, including means interposedbetween said nut and said base member for inhibiting unscrewing ofsaid'base member.

14. A caster glide comprising a hollow spacer member carrying a retainerin the form of a shallow umbrella of resilient material havingperipheral anchoring projections whereby it is locked in position in thelower open end of-a furniture leg, a glide base having fixed thereto anupstanding screw, a nut for engaging said screw fixedly carried by thespacer member interiorly of the spacer member and fastened at'its upperend to the spacer member, said base being smooth and-round so as toinhibit unscrewing of the screwby hand, and a pressuremember exertingupward pressure on the nut to inhibit unscrewing of the screw.

15. A caster glide as'defined'in. claim 2, wherein said base glidehasintegral-therewith an upstanding post-like member which post-likemember has at the upper end thereof said upstanding screw, and'saidrotation-inhibiting means being interposed between the upper end of saidpost-like member and the lower end of said nut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS IllFeb. 9,1897

